over and they’d turn into conquering bullies. Why should they live when his son had been murdered?
You’re no better than the monsters that killed your family.
He tried to shut out the thought, but it wouldn’t go away. Revisiting the painful void where he’d locked the memories of his wife and child almost brought him to his knees. Could he inflict the same hurt on someone else? Separate a mother from her children? What would his mate think of him if she saw him now?
“Ayala!” he screamed.
The girl came running into the room. She stood by the crib, shaking, head down.
“Take them to their mother before I change my mind.”
“Yes, Alpha.” The girl struggled to lift the squirming boys. Alex narrowed his eyes at her, and she got a firmer grip on them and made a hasty exit.
* * * *
Alex lay on his bed, thinking and staring into the dark. This wasn’t the outcome he’d planned for, but it was the one that would allow him to sleep at night.
Noah and Wade were loyal, but they were filled with guilt over what they’d done. What he made them do. He didn’t want to wait until morning to ease their minds.
Like a man possessed, he threw on a pair of trousers and padded out into the hallway.
Noah opened the door to his knock. Over his shoulder he saw Wade in their bed. Red-hot anger and jealousy almost made him turn away but Noah was right there, pulling him into the room.
“What’s wrong?” Noah turned a light on and Wade sat up, a worried look on his face. “The babies?”
Gods . What had he turned into? His men actually thought he would hurt innocent babies. “They’re with their mother.”
“Then she’s agreed to do what you want?”
“No. I changed my mind. I don’t want her here.”
“I don’t understand. What are you going to do?”
“I’m sending her home, Noah. You and Wade take her and her spawn back to Pennsylvania tomorrow. Make sure she realizes it would endanger her family, as well as ours, if she reveals our location.”
Noah grabbed him and pulled him close. “Thank you.” He planted a chaste kiss on his lips.
Alex pulled back. “Noah, I—”
Loud voices and banging at the door stopped him from telling Noah how much he regretted what he’d done. The look on Noah’s face told him that he already knew.
* * * *
Janis had a bad feeling that it had all gone terribly wrong. The rescue party had rented a cheap motel room near the airport. Malcolm, filled with bitter bloodlust, had headed straight for the coordinates while they stayed behind. Only he, with his Lycan scent could get inside without being immediately detected. He’d promised not to take any foolish risks, just try to find out where the captives were being held and then call to tell them how to proceed. Only it was taking way too long.
Finally Jude voiced what she had been thinking. “It’s been hours. I don’t want to wait any longer.
Janis went ballistic when her brothers told her to stay in the motel with an unconscious Roy . She felt responsible for putting her family in danger and she threatened to follow on her own if they didn’t take her. They finally agreed. Each one wore something of Roy ’s, hoping it would disguise their scent. Janis took the gun Jude offered, hoping she wouldn’t need to use it.
They parked a good distance from the site and walked, hoping their black clothing would offer some camouflage in the darkness. Janis thought she’d stepped back in time when the adobe pueblos appeared in her view. As they got closer, the multi-story housing structure reminded her of an apartment complex with connecting units.
Jonas had them stop to reassess their plan. What plan? Her brothers were acting for her sake. She knew they were winging it. What could they do against an army of men who could turn into wolves?
Janis swallowed her fear. There was no place for it here. They needed to keep their wits about them. The stakes were too high.
From where they hid behind a boulder, they could
You’re no better than the monsters that killed your family.
He tried to shut out the thought, but it wouldn’t go away. Revisiting the painful void where he’d locked the memories of his wife and child almost brought him to his knees. Could he inflict the same hurt on someone else? Separate a mother from her children? What would his mate think of him if she saw him now?
“Ayala!” he screamed.
The girl came running into the room. She stood by the crib, shaking, head down.
“Take them to their mother before I change my mind.”
“Yes, Alpha.” The girl struggled to lift the squirming boys. Alex narrowed his eyes at her, and she got a firmer grip on them and made a hasty exit.
* * * *
Alex lay on his bed, thinking and staring into the dark. This wasn’t the outcome he’d planned for, but it was the one that would allow him to sleep at night.
Noah and Wade were loyal, but they were filled with guilt over what they’d done. What he made them do. He didn’t want to wait until morning to ease their minds.
Like a man possessed, he threw on a pair of trousers and padded out into the hallway.
Noah opened the door to his knock. Over his shoulder he saw Wade in their bed. Red-hot anger and jealousy almost made him turn away but Noah was right there, pulling him into the room.
“What’s wrong?” Noah turned a light on and Wade sat up, a worried look on his face. “The babies?”
Gods . What had he turned into? His men actually thought he would hurt innocent babies. “They’re with their mother.”
“Then she’s agreed to do what you want?”
“No. I changed my mind. I don’t want her here.”
“I don’t understand. What are you going to do?”
“I’m sending her home, Noah. You and Wade take her and her spawn back to Pennsylvania tomorrow. Make sure she realizes it would endanger her family, as well as ours, if she reveals our location.”
Noah grabbed him and pulled him close. “Thank you.” He planted a chaste kiss on his lips.
Alex pulled back. “Noah, I—”
Loud voices and banging at the door stopped him from telling Noah how much he regretted what he’d done. The look on Noah’s face told him that he already knew.
* * * *
Janis had a bad feeling that it had all gone terribly wrong. The rescue party had rented a cheap motel room near the airport. Malcolm, filled with bitter bloodlust, had headed straight for the coordinates while they stayed behind. Only he, with his Lycan scent could get inside without being immediately detected. He’d promised not to take any foolish risks, just try to find out where the captives were being held and then call to tell them how to proceed. Only it was taking way too long.
Finally Jude voiced what she had been thinking. “It’s been hours. I don’t want to wait any longer.
Janis went ballistic when her brothers told her to stay in the motel with an unconscious Roy . She felt responsible for putting her family in danger and she threatened to follow on her own if they didn’t take her. They finally agreed. Each one wore something of Roy ’s, hoping it would disguise their scent. Janis took the gun Jude offered, hoping she wouldn’t need to use it.
They parked a good distance from the site and walked, hoping their black clothing would offer some camouflage in the darkness. Janis thought she’d stepped back in time when the adobe pueblos appeared in her view. As they got closer, the multi-story housing structure reminded her of an apartment complex with connecting units.
Jonas had them stop to reassess their plan. What plan? Her brothers were acting for her sake. She knew they were winging it. What could they do against an army of men who could turn into wolves?
Janis swallowed her fear. There was no place for it here. They needed to keep their wits about them. The stakes were too high.
From where they hid behind a boulder, they could
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